Quest for the Antarctic Circle

Day 1 - Fly London to Buenos Aires.

Fly overnight London to Buenos Aires.

Overnight: In flight

Day 2 - Arrive in Buenos Aires. Group transfer to hotel.

On arrival in Buenos Aires you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Overnight: Hotel Intersur Recoleta, Buenos Aires

Day 3 - Fly to Ushuaia.

Transfer to the domestic airport for your flight to Ushuaia.

On arrival in Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Ushuaia has plenty of bars, coffee shops and restaurants catering for all tastes and plenty of shops to get those last minute bits of extra kit you forgot to pack.

Overnight: Hotel Albatros Or Similar, Ushuaia

Day 4 - Time at leisure in Ushuaia.

Sitting on the shores of the Beagle Channel, Ushuaia actually means 'the bay facing westward' in the language of the original Yamna inhabitants. It was once a penal colony (the presidio was disbanded in the 1940s) for political prisoners as well as hardened criminals. Ushuaia is now a major tourist attraction, particularly catering for people about to embark on a cruise to Antarctica. The town of 40,000 is also a major ski resort area for both alpine and cross-country skiers and offers magnificent hiking in Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego, the only coastal national park in Argentina. You have a free day to explore its many attractions.

Overnight: Hotel Albatros Or Similar, Ushuaia

Day 5 - Free morning. Embark on the M/S Expedition and sail the Beagle Channel.

After two days in Ushuaia, your sense of anticipation grows as your ship, the M/S Expedition, is positioned in the port being readied for your embarkation in the afternoon. Embarkation time is set for 1600hrs. The morning is free to do any last minute shopping, an optional excursion to Tierra Del Fuego National Park or a good hike up to the Marshall Glacier (arranged locally).

The evening is spent on board the ship watching the sunset over the Beagle Channel which is around 150 miles long and forms part of the border between Argentina and Chile. The Beagle Channel was named after the HMS Beagle from its 1820s voyage around the southern coasts of South America. On board was Captain Robert Fitzroy whose name was later given to the famous Fitzroy and Paine mountains in Chile. On a later voyage to the region he brought along a young naturalist called Charles Darwin!

Please note, that while it is our intention to adhere to the itinerary described below, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable, to make alterations. On the first day aboard your Expedition Leader will give you an overview of the expedition.

Overnight: M/S Expedition

Day 6 - Crossing the Drake Passage.

The adventure begins with a 800km (497 mi) crossing of the passage named in honour of 16th-century English sea captain and privateer Sir Francis Drake. The M/S Expedition is at home in this part of the Southern Ocean, known for the unimpeded never ending fetch of the winds that encircle the Antarctic.

Antarctica is a continent of superlatives. It is the coldest, windiest, driest, iciest and highest of all the major landmasses in the world. It is the continent with the longest nights and the longest days. The coastal areas you visit have some of the greatest concentrations of wildlife on the continent. It is also one of the last true wildernesses, the largest wilderness area left on earth - largely unchanged since the first sealers, whalers, and early explorers landed on its inhospitable shores less than two centuries ago. The lowest temperature ever recorded anywhere on earth, -89.2°C, was recorded on July 21, 1983, at Vostok Station. Winds have been recorded at 200 mph in the interior of the continent and the average annual water precipitation in the interior is only about 50 mm. No wonder it's such a unique and special place to visit.

Overnight: M/S Expedition

Day 7 - Crossing the Drake Passage.

As the M/S Expedition crosses Drake's passage there will be time to become acquainted with the ship and frequent the common areas that include the lounge, dining hall, library and lecture hall where you will meet your guides, ship's crew and expedition staff.

The ship also has two observation decks giving superb views of the ever-changing scenery. You will have ample time to lookout for some of the species of whales who visit these fertile waters as well as the many seabirds that may follow the M/S Expedition on the journey to Antarctica.

Overnight: M/S Expedition

Day 8 - Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands.

This is what you've been waiting for - a chance to step foot on the Great White Continent! Over the next few days the M/S Expedition will navigate southwards making stops at the South Shetland Islands then through the Bransfield Strait to the Antarctic Peninsula. The goal is to attempt two excursions per day on the Zodiac boats while navigating through the area, but the itinerary and daily schedule will be based on the local weather and ice conditions.

If you are travelling early in the season you will most likely be walking amongst penguins during your time on Antarctica, as they gather in vast numbers with their fast-growing chicks. 'Penguin' is the common name for all flightless, aquatic birds and they are only found south of the equator. Penguins have been grouped into 18 species and 6 genera, with most making their homes in Antarctica and the sub Antarctic islands, though others are native to the coasts of Australia, South Africa, South America, and the Galapagos Islands. Penguins are speedy and agile swimmers, but extremely slow on land. The regions you visit aboard M/S Expedition are inhabited by several species including the Adelie penguin named after French explorer Dumont d'Urville's wife, the Chinstrap penguin identified by the distinctive black line connecting the black cap to below the chin, and the Gentoo penguin with its orange bill and white flash above and behind its eyes.

Overnight: M/S Expedition

Day 9 - Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands.

During your Zodiac excursions you will encounter some of the region's unique wildlife and awe-inspiring scenery. Alongside the raucous rookeries of gentoo, chinstrap, and Adélie penguin you will see seals on land and in the ocean, together with orca, humpback, and minke whales which patrol the cold Antarctic waters.

The peninsula also has a remarkable human history and during the voyage you will also learn about some of the most important and dramatic expeditions to this remote corner of the world.

Some of the bravest and best known explorers have sailed south in search of adventure and recognition. James Cook, the most travelled explorer of his time, was the first to circumnavigate Antarctica and the first to cross the Antarctic Circle. There was Roald Amundsen, who led the first expedition to reach the South Pole and reached the pole on 14th December 1911, followed by Captain Robert Falcon Scott, famous for being 35 days late, who arrived at the South Pole on 17th January 1912 only to find the dark green tent and a note left by Amundsen. All 5 men in the Scott expedition perished on their way back from the pole.

The best-known adventurer would have to be Sir Ernest Shackleton. On his attempt at the South Pole his ship, Endurance, was captured by pack ice in the Weddell Sea on 19th January 1915. The ship was destroyed by heavy ice, forcing him and his men to travel over the ice and sea to Elephant Island. However, because the island was uninhabited, Shackleton and 5 others made the 1300 km voyage for help to South Georgia, amazingly arriving at Stromness Harbour whaling station on 20th May 1916.

Overnight: M/S Expedition

Day 10 - Antarctic Peninsula and Antarctic Circle.

With a close eye on weather conditions, the M/S Expedition turns southward along the western coast of the Antarctic Peninsula towards the Antarctic Polar Circle; a place where very few travellers have reached.

Throughout the cruise you can attend lectures hosted during the day as well as in the evening, on everything from local wildlife to geology to history. The M/S Expedition has one of the highest ratios of expedition team members to guests and, with one expert for every ten guests, there is always someone on hand to answer questions and provide greater insight and appreciation of the world at its extremes.

The expedition team is comprised of professional and highly skilled historians, marine biologists, and naturalists who offer keen insight and a unique personal perspective to each and every adventure. There is also a resident photographer to help you make the most of the wonderfully photogenic landscape and wildlife.

Overnight: M/S Expedition

Day 11 - Antarctic Peninsula and Antarctic Circle.

Another day of exploring as the Zodiacs deliver you to shore where you might enjoy a walk up a small peak to get a magnificent vista back across the bay and towards the shore. Your guides will accompany you and assist in picking out the best route that does not interfere with the wildlife.

However, you don't need to be on land to see the whales and other marine life that make the water south of the Antarctic Convergence their summer home. Thanks to the abundance of the small, shrimp-like krill many species of whale can be found in the frigid southern waters including: the Humpback Whale - which consumes over a ton of krill each day, the Southern Right whale - easily identified by the whitish callosities on the jaws and forehead, the Sperm whale - made famous in Moby Dick, the Sei whale - which can achieve speeds up to 55km/h over short distances, the playful Minke whale - which are very common in the peninsula area, and the Fin Whale - which can attain a length of 25 to 27m, making it the second largest of all whales.

Overnight: M/S Expedition

Day 12 - Antarctic Circle and the Drake Passage.

After seven nights on board you turn north for the first time but will continue exploring the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands. Along with wildlife watching and shore landings there might be an opportunity for a more adventurous activity - a swim in the Southern waters!

You remembered to pack your bathing suit, right? Depending on weather conditions, you can opt to do the polar plunge and jump into the frigid waters of the Antarctic. Convince some of your fellow passengers to join you and you'll be left with an amazing group experience no one will ever forget!

Overnight: M/S Expedition

Day 13 - Antarctic Circle and the Drake Passage.

The avian stars of the Antarctic are undoubtedly the penguins but they are far from the only birds you will see on your polar cruise. Spend a little time on deck and you may see various species of albatross including Black-browed, Wandering and Light-mantled. And, along with the impressive albatrosses - gulls, petrels, shearwaters, skuas, ducks and terns will no doubt catch your eye.

With the help of the ship's ornithologist, see how many you can spot.

Overnight: M/S Expedition

Day 14 - Antarctic Circle & the Drake Passage.

Continue north up The Drake Passage, keeping a close eye on the ice floes, shoreline and ocean waters as you cruise along. You never know what you might see today.

Overnight: M/S Expedition

Day 15 - The Drake Passage.

Leave the Antarctic Circle and head north across The Drake Passage. In between wildlife watching and enjoying some final lectures by the expedition staff, there is time to relax and share the adventures of the past week with your fellow travellers and crew members.

Overnight: M/S Expedition

Day 16 - The Drake Passage to Ushuaia.

Sadly, this is your final day onboard the M/S Expedition before you reach your home port of Ushuaia.

There's still time for some last-minute whale watching and bird sightings though, so spend as much time as possible on deck keeping a lookout.

Overnight: M/S Expedition

Day 17 - Disembark the M/S Expedition. Fly from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires.

Today you will disembark the M/S Expedition between 08:00 and 09:00 hours.

Depending on the time of your flight back to Buenos Aires, you will either be transferred directly to the airport at Ushuaia or to a central location where luggage can be stored. You will then have free time. Additional transfers will be provided at 12:30 or 16:30 hours. Please note that the transfer times are subject to change according to flight schedules.

Fly to Buenos Aires for your last night.

Overnight: Hotel Intersur Recoleta, Buenos Aires

Day 18 - Free time and group transfer to airport. Depart Buenos Aires.

Some free time to enjoy the city before your transfer to the airport for your overnight flight from Buenos Aires to London.

Overnight: In flight

Day 19 - Arrive in London.